Lifespan

Lifespan

"Let him go to school? No, no. He'll be bullied at school." Grandpa shook his head at the Village Chief's family's suggestion.

Huang Ji showed Zheng Xuan a little talent for mechanics.

With his information perception, restoring a television? Restoring a computer? It couldn't have been easier.

First was his memory. He did not have photographic memory, but it did not matter if he forgot something, because his own information faithfully recorded everything he had experienced.

He could search himself and retrieve any image he had ever seen, recovering memories he had forgotten.

And when it came to restoring a computer, he did not even need to do that. Every component contained countless pieces of information, and its function and original position were all very superficial information.

Just like when he saw a coin on the ground, he knew whose pocket it had fallen from, when, and how...

Any machine could be dismantled and restored.

As long as it was not damaged during dismantling, and the method of restoration was something humans could accomplish, it was effortless for Huang Ji.

Thus, while maintaining his persona as someone with an intellectual disability, Huang Ji added a new trait to it: an extraordinarily keen instinct for mechanical structures!

Someone with an intellectual disability could also be a genius.

After Zheng Xuan learned of his talent, he chatted with him for quite a while and asked about his circumstances.

Huang Ji took the opportunity to mention that he had given up on the Junior High School Entrance Examination, had nothing to do at home, and wandered around all day.

He also casually revealed that he actually wanted to go to school, learn some skills, and make money to take care of Grandpa in the future.

Zheng Xuan did not say much, but afterward, he mentioned the situation to Fan Lingli.

Fan Lingli was a warmhearted person. She was also surprised to learn that Huang Ji had such talent.

Thinking that it was no good for him to drift around aimlessly every day, she asked whether he wanted to study in Magic City. She could find a school and let him give it a try.

Naturally, Huang Ji had no objection, but Grandpa still had to agree.

After all, that kind of school was far from home, and he would have to live on campus for five years.

In the end, as soon as the Fan family brought it up, Grandpa decisively shook his head in refusal.

Huang Ji was disappointed, but he said nothing.

The Village Chief could not bear to watch any longer. "Old Huang, going to school is ultimately a good thing. The kid has talent."

Grandpa shook his head. "Ah! What talent does he have? You all know his condition."

Zheng Xuan thought, Are you questioning my judgment? He immediately explained everything that had happened earlier.

Grandpa did not believe him. He knew that Huang Ji had never messed around at home or randomly taken things apart.

It could be said that he had never even been exposed to such things. How could he have that kind of talent?

Zheng Xuan said, "Talent is inborn. It has nothing to do with whether he has been exposed to it before. Although Huang Ji... has a slight disability, from what I understand, people like him can sometimes be exceptionally gifted in certain special areas. You can never be sure about these things. If you don't believe me, let him try."

This time, he brought out the computer again and dismantled it across the entire table.

Then, in front of everyone, Huang Ji effortlessly restored it.

Zheng Xuan had taken it apart into tiny pieces. Just looking at it, no one would have known where to begin putting it back together.

Yet it did not trouble Huang Ji in the slightest.

Once it was restored, the Village Chief clicked his tongue in amazement.

Though Grandpa did not understand the difficulty involved, he felt that Huang Ji had been extremely focused while restoring the machine. His eyes even seemed alive!

That was important. The child was always unable to concentrate.

Usually, the only time he saw the child this focused was when he was staring blankly by the fields or watching people talk by the roadside.

Yet now, even while doing something proper, he was just as spirited and radiant.

"Good, good, good!" Grandpa was delighted and burst into hearty laughter.

First, he was happy to see that loving spark in the child's eyes!

Second, he was gratified that his grandson truly had some talent!

"So Xu'er had this skill all along! I don't even dare touch this computer, but Xu'er's quite talented at it." The Village Chief praised him.

Grandpa was deeply pleased. Huang Ji had never had any strengths that could earn him praise from others.

When people praised someone with an intellectual disability, they could only praise him for being obedient, well-behaved, or filial.

Now, aside from those things, he finally had a skill worthy of praise, one that could even amaze people.

Grandpa was extremely happy about it.

But then he frowned again. "The child even gave up on the Junior High School Entrance Examination. Can he attend a vocational school?"

Zheng Xuan said, "I know of a Junior College that offers a '3+2' program. After middle school, he can study there directly for five years. The first two years cover High School coursework, and the final three teach professional skills. Graduates receive a Junior College diploma."

"He doesn't need a middle school graduation certificate, and they do not even look at Junior High School Entrance Examination scores."

Without question, it was not a particularly good school, but it was not too bad either. It had all the qualifications and certifications it was supposed to have.

When he heard that he would receive a Junior College diploma upon graduation, Grandpa was both surprised and satisfied.

But then he asked, "With his condition... can he get the diploma?"

Who could guarantee that? For a moment, no one spoke.

They were only trying to persuade him because they felt it was a pity for Huang Ji. It was not as if Huang Ji absolutely had to attend school.

In fact, since Fan Lingli had made such a suggestion as a fellow townsman, she would certainly have to help look after Huang Ji in Magic City.

They were already causing trouble for themselves. Having said this much was enough.

Seeing this, Huang Ji said, "Grandpa, I'll work hard."

Grandpa sighed. "That's not the issue... Sigh, I know you work very hard. Old Fan, this child is very sensible at home. He can cook, wash clothes, even work the fields. People say I take care of him, but really, he takes care of me too. Xu'er truly isn't stupid."

"Wouldn't I know?" The Village Chief rolled his eyes. He knew Huang Ji had no problems with daily life.

"Look, enroll him in a mechanical repair program. If he really learns something, he can find a decent job after graduation. Even if he cannot graduate, repairing appliances and such for people would still be a good livelihood."

Grandpa nodded. "I know. But I just can't stop worrying. Magic City is a big city. Can he adapt there? He's never even left the county!"

"Even with dormitories and cafeterias, he would still need time to adjust. If people see that he doesn't understand anything, won't they bully him?"

In the end, Grandpa had raised Huang Ji for his entire life. He could neither rest assured nor bear to let him travel far away and live alone in another place.

There was nothing more to say. At this point, if the old man was worried, they were merely fellow townsmen. Why insist any further?

Everyone immediately stopped mentioning the matter.

Just as the matter of school seemed about to be dropped, Huang Ji spoke.

He said just one sentence, and it settled the matter once and for all!

"Grandpa, if you say I shouldn't go, then I won't. I'll stay by your side forever, take care of you, and never go anywhere..."

Those words struck Grandpa right in the heart, while also giving him a fright.

Forever... by my side?

Grandpa let out a long sigh. How could that be okay?

He had raised Huang Ji all his life, but what prospects had he given him? None.

If the child stayed by his side, he would merely survive. There would be nothing to look forward to in the future.

He could not teach Huang Ji anything. Though farming the land and leaving behind some savings would probably be enough for the child to survive after he died, Huang Ji would likely live a lonely and miserable life.

Deep down, Grandpa had always felt guilty toward Huang Ji. He always felt it was his own fault.

He had kept Huang Ji by his side for more than ten years, unable to let go and unable to rest assured about him traveling far away.

But when he heard Huang Ji say that he would stay with him for life, Grandpa suddenly became agitated. "No, you can't! How could you stay with me for your whole life?"

Huang Ji was only sixteen, while he himself was already old and frail.

Now that they had finally discovered Huang Ji's talent, and he could have a decent livelihood in the future, was he still unwilling to let him go?

"You should go out into the world. You have talent, so you need to properly learn some skills, understand?" When Grandpa thought of how he had raised the child into someone who merely obeyed whatever he was told, of how the child had been called a fool under his care and had learned nothing, he could not help but cry.

At the same time, Huang Ji cried as well.

He was no longer intellectually disabled, but he could not tell Grandpa.

With those words just now, he had seen through Grandpa's psychological weakness. He knew Grandpa had always felt guilty, and that if he said he would stay with Grandpa forever, Grandpa would worry about his future, worry about what Huang Ji would do after he died.

This had always been what Grandpa worried about.

So with a single sentence, Huang Ji made Grandpa change his mind. He saw into people's hearts and knew everyone's weaknesses.

Seeing how much pain his words had caused Grandpa, he could not help but feel anguish as well.

He felt guilty for exploiting Grandpa's weakness... but he had no choice.

I'm sorry, Grandpa. I'm sorry. I have to go out into the world. There are too many things I want to do...

Huang Ji held Grandpa and silently apologized in his heart.

He had used those words to hurt Grandpa not for all humanity, nor because he needed to learn and grow quickly to solve Earth's predicament.

To him, those matters were actually secondary.

He was still young. Earth had been fine all these years, hadn't it? Humanity was still living happily, wasn't it? The matter of aliens was not urgent at all. Even if it was, there was nothing he could do about it.

The fundamental reason Huang Ji had to go out into the world, even if it hurt Grandpa, was actually Grandpa's health.

He needed to study medicine. He needed to find a way to cure Grandpa's illness. This could not be delayed.

Grandpa looked fairly robust, but he would definitely die within five years.

That was something he could clearly sense from the information.

Every person's life had an end. Everyone had their own Lifespan.

For the vast majority of children and young people, the upper limit of their Lifespan was between one hundred and one hundred thirty years!

Yes! That was practically the limit of human lifespan.

But as they grew older, their overall lifespan continuously shrank! Most eighteen- or nineteen-year-olds had a lifespan of around one hundred years.

He had also observed many people in their twenties. Their lifespans were often only eighty or ninety years, and some would even die in their sixties or seventies.

The information regarding the upper limit of one's lifespan was constantly changing!

In other words, Lifespan was never predetermined! It was not fixed and unchanging!

A person who might originally have lived to one hundred twenty could see their lifespan shortened immediately because of poor sleep habits or irregular eating habits!

A person who was originally meant to live to eighty might suffer a serious illness, then indulge excessively in sex while sick. Even if the illness was cured, their lifespan could directly lose twenty years, dropping from eighty to sixty.

It was simply that almost no one knew about such changes.

When that person developed other illnesses in their fifties or sixties and died, they would probably think they had simply been short-lived from the start.

Little would they know that the serious illness in their youth had depleted their body and already doomed them to die before sixty!

Every habit, every unexpected event, even changes in mentality, could alter the information regarding the upper limit of a person's lifespan.

Therefore, Huang Ji could observe, summarize, and experiment to determine which behaviors promoted health and which shortened one's life.

Grandpa's condition was basically caused by illness. The illness could not be cured, but if it could be cured, then without question, Grandpa would not die within five years, and his lifespan would even be greatly extended!

Lifespan was not predetermined by Heaven. It was decided by countless intertwined causes and effects.

And it was constantly being updated and changed!

In theory, if one could see enough intertwined causes and effects and possessed enough information, one could predict the future.